Function of iron

Iron is a mineral which is important for the function of the body as a whole. Iron combines with protein to form hemoglobin in the red blood cells which carries oxygen to all cells within the body. Oxygen is used to produce maximum energy from the foods we eat. Therefore, iron is important for the production

Heme & Non – Heme Iron

There are two sources of iron:

• Heme Iron which is found in meat, liver, poultry and fish.
• Non-Heme Iron which is found in fruits, vegetables, legumes, grain products and eggs

Heme Iron from animal sources is most easily absorbed by the body. Non-Heme Iron from other sources is better absorbed if eaten with foods rich in vitamin C or if eaten with Heme Iron found in meat, fish or chicken.

Symptoms

Symptoms of iron deficiency can include: fatigue, difficulty thinking, rapid heartbeat, feeling cold all the time, loss of sex drive, depression, shortness of breath, headache, vertigo (dizziness), sleeping difficulty, diminished strength and decreased appetite.

Work with your health team to find the amount of daily iron recommended that your body needs.

 Important nutrients besides iron are vitamin B12, folic acid ,vitamin C, riboflavin and copper.

How much iron do I need?

If you have already been diagnosed with iron deficiency, talk to your doctor or healthcare provider about treatment. For healthy individuals, the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for iron is listed in the following table.  In general for comparison the RDA range for a healthy adult is 10-15 mg/ day .

*This value is an Adequate Intake (AI) value.  AI is used when there is not enough information known to set a Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA).

Source: Dietary Reference Intakes, Institute of Medicine, Food and Nutrition Board.* (PDF-86k)

Iron Rich Foods

Include foods rich in iron such as:  lean red meats, organ meats, spinach, egg yolks (limit to three to four a week), beets cream of wheat and herbs such as: thyme, parsley, cumin, curry powder and cinnamon.

Dietary Sources of Iron

Food Sources of Iron ranked by milligrams of iron per standard amount; also calories in the standard amount. (All amounts listed provide 10% or more of the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for teenage and adult females, which is 18 mg/day.)

Conversions 250mL=1 cup , 15mL = 1 tbsp, 1 ounce = 28.3495231 grams

Food Sources of iron are ranked by milligrams of iron per standard amount; also calories in the standard amount. (All amounts listed provide 10% or more of the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for teenage and adult females, which is 18 mg/day.)

*These are non-heme iron sources. To improve absorption, eat these with a vitamin-C rich food.

Source: USDA/HHS Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2005
Nutrient values from Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 17. Foods are from ARS single nutrient reports, sorted in descending order by nutrient content in terms of common household measures. Food items and weights in the single nutrient reports are adapted from those in the 2002 revision of USDA Home and Garden Bulletin No. 72, Nutritive Value of Foods. Mixed dishes and multiple preparations of the same food item have been omitted from this table.

Source 2: The University Health Centre, University of Georgia , 2011 , http://www.uhs.uga.edu/nutrition/iron.html

Source 3:Health Link, BC, 2011,  http://www.healthlinkbc.ca/healthfiles/hfile68d.stm

Reducing Gas

Dried beans and peas are an excellent source of iron, fiber and other nutrients, but many people avoid these foods because of flatulence (gas). There are ways to prepare beans to reduce flatulence and gas is less of a problem for those who regularly eat beans.

• Change the soaking water two or three times and rinse the beans thoroughly after they’ve soaked.
• After soaking, cook beans in fresh water.
• Cook beans thoroughly—they should be soft.
• When using canned beans, rinse well before using.
• Activated charcoal capsules can be taken after the fact. There is also a commercial enzyme product (Beano) or other digestive enzymes ( speak to your integrated doctor) that breaks down the complex sugars that cause gas.

Dietary Sources of Vitamin C

Food sources of vitamin C are ranked by milligrams (mg) of vitamin C per standard amount; also calories in the standard amount. (All amounts listed provide 20% or more of the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) of 90 mg/day for adult men.)

Source: USDA/HHS Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2005
Nutrient values from Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 17. Foods are from ARS single nutrient reports, sorted in descending order by nutrient content in terms of common household measures. Food items and weights in the single nutrient reports are adapted from those in the 2002 revision of USDA Home and Garden Bulletin No. 72, Nutritive Value of Foods. Mixed dishes and multiple preparations of the same food item have been omitted from this table. 

 Iron Supplements

Iron pills commonly contain ferrous sulfate, ferrous fumarate or ferrous gluconate. Ferrous gluconate is one of the recommended options of iron to take as a supplement, a highly bio-available form of iron that is well absorbed by the body.

Options Include:

• An iron supplement as prescribed by your doctor
• Floradix ( Iron gluconate) – This is a liquid version that may help if someone has difficulties swallowing, Note that with liquids it is best to use a straw so exposure to the teeth is limited as some note there is a potential risk for staining the teeth
• Femagen TLI ( Genestra)

Iron and Interactions

Important nutrients for anemia besides iron are vitamin B12, folic acid ,vitamin C, riboflavin and copper.

Optimizing Iron Intake

1. Choose lean meats, fish and poultry – the iron in these foods is absorbed better than the iron in plant sources.
2. Eat vegetables and grains with lean meat – the average absorption of iron from plant sources is low, but increases when these are eaten with meat, poultry and fish.
3. Eat iron-rich legumes – dried beans and peas are the most iron-rich plant products in our diets.
4. Combine iron-rich foods with foods high in vitamin C – a glass of orange juice with your breakfast can more than double the amount of iron your body absorbs.
5. Avoid drinking tea or coffee with your meals – a cup of tea with breakfast can block 3/4 of the iron you would have absorbed.
6. Cook foods in an iron pot whenever practical - spaghetti sauce simmered in an iron pot for about 20 minutes increases its iron content nine fold. This would work as well for other acidic foods.
7. Eat iron-fortified foods – iron-fortified or enriched breakfast cereals and other foods can help boost your iron intake. Be sure to combine them with high vitamin C foods like citrus fruit, broccoli, cantaloupe, strawberries or kiwi to increase absorption.

Iron combines well with vitamin A, vitamin C and all B-complex vitamins. In addition, it is important to not combine iron with calcium or zinc, as they can interfere with each other’s absorption. Promote optimal absorption by eating a meal that includes a food rich in vitamin C when you take your iron supplement. Excellent sources of vitamin C include citrus fruits, tomatoes, baked potatoes, and steamed broccoli.  Red blood cells need protein, therefore eating smaller, more frequent meals rich in protein is also recommended.

Caution Side Effects and Toxicity of Iron

 Iron supplements should always be kept out of the reach of children, since a dose as low as 600mg can be fatal to young children. Iron in high doses can be dangerous, as iron is stored in the body. Some toxic effects of excess iron consumption include heart damage, liver damage and low levels of zinc.

Herbal sources of iron

Pau D’Arco bark (also called Taheebo): is an herb from the Amazon rainforest, and it has the ability to rebuild red blood cells . It is a blood purifier and blood builder that aids the liver and endocrine glands.

Nettle: also called stinging nettle, is well known by herbalists as being rich in iron. It is in the same league with spinach and watercress, which also have a high iron content.

Kelp: contains one of the highest sources of iron available from the plant kingdom. Included in this category would be other algae such as spirulina, chlorella, dulse and sea lettuce. Norwegian kelp is reputed to be the best quality kelp because it is harvested from the cold, pristine waters of the North Atlantic. Kelp has high amounts of iron and other minerals, but is highest in iodine and is commonly used to strengthen the thyroid and regulate metabolism.

Yellow Dock root: has an iron content that might not be as high as nettles or kelp, but it is well absorbed by the body and can raise blood iron levels. This herb acts like a tonic on the liver and cleanses the blood, which makes it a good choice to take with an iron supplement.

References

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Iron deficiency – United States, 1999–2000. MMWR 2002;51:897–899.
2. Akman M, Cebeci D, Okur V, Angin H, Abali O, Akman AC. The effects of iron deficiency on infants’ developmental test performance. Acta Paediatr. 2004 Oct;93(10):1391–6.
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   A double-masked, randomized control trial of iron supplementation in early infancy in healthy term breast-fed infants. J Pediatr. 2003 Nov;143(5):582–6.
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7. Scholl TO, Hediger ML, Fischer RL, Shearer JW. Anemia vs iron deficiency: increased risk of preterm delivery in a prospective study. Am J Clin Nutr. 1992 May;55(5):985–8.
8. Brownlie T 4th, Utermohlen V, Hinton PS, Haas JD. Tissue iron deficiency without anemia impairs adaptation in endurance capacity after aerobic training in previously untrained women. Am J Clin Nutr. 2004 Mar;79(3):437–43.
9. Haas JD, Brownlie T 4th. Iron deficiency and reduced work capacity: a critical review of the research to determine a causal relationship. J Nutr. 2001 Feb;131(2S–2):676S–688S; discussion 688S–690S.
10. 10.  Bruner AB, Joffe A, Duggan AK, Casella JF, Brandt J. Randomised study of cognitive effects of iron supplementation in non-anaemic iron-deficient adolescent girls. Lancet. 1996 Oct 12;348(9033):992–6.
11. US National Library of Medicine, NIH. Iron deficiency anemia.
    http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/ida/ida_whatis.html
12. Office of Dietary Supplements, NIH. Dietary supplement fact sheet. Available online: http://dietary-supplements.info.nih.gov/factsheets/iron.asp